Tips for Throwing a Great Summer BBQ Party

Summer is here and BBQ season is in full swing. There’s nothing nicer than spending an afternoon soaking up the sun, sampling delicious food and enjoying the company of family and friends. If you’re set to host a BBQ soon and you want to make it one to remember then take a look at the tips below which will talk you through everything you need to throw a great summer BBQ.

Safety First

I know this goes without saying but if you’re hosting a barbeque it’s important to think about safety. There are a few tips you can follow to ensure everyone is safe and has a lovely day.

Position the BBQ a safe distance from the house

Check for any gas leaks before you start cooking

Don’t leave it unattended

Don’t overload the BBQ with too much food

Avoid cross-contamination by having separate utensils

Preparation and planning

There’s nothing worse than having your guests over and turning on the BBQ to find it’s not working or you’re out of gas. Before your guests arrive be sure to check your BBQ is clean and working as it should. If you can prepare marinades, fruit/veg and other items before the day then this is ideal and will mean you can spend more time on the day with family and friends enjoying yourself rather than hidden away in the kitchen.

Food and drink

Organising food and drink for guests can be difficult, especially if you’re not sure of their likes and dislikes. So you can be organised it’s a good idea to ask your guests prior to the event if they have any special requirements such as allergies or if they are a vegetarian etc, this will ensure you can cater for everyone and nobody is left out. Be sure to check out Spice N Tice for flavours that will be great for a BBQ party.

With regards to drinks, it’s good to have a few options, soft drinks, cocktails, and mocktails are all great for parties and if you make large jugs people can help themselves.

If you want to offer desserts but don’t want a big clean up afterwards then you could consider BBQ banana boats which are easy to make and taste delicious or there’s the BBQ dessert of dreams in the form of scrumptious s’mores!

Weather permitting

We have been so lucky with the beautiful weather here in the UK over the last few weeks but it wouldn’t be the UK if the weather wasn’t changeable, would it? If you don’t want the risk of rain ruining the day then take a look at Party gazebos from Garden & Camping, gazebos are great for keeping your guests dry and your party going no matter the weather.

Entertainment

You don’t need to hire the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra but having a few entertainment options is always a plus. Before planning your entertainment consider the age of everyone who is attending, depending upon whether it’s all adults or a mixture of ages this will determine the type of entertainment you choose. Here are a few entertainment options to get you started:

Party games: This could be as simple as a few board games for all ages to enjoy or you could go all out and spraypaint a DIY twister game on your grass, this would definitely be a fun talking point. For younger guests why not fill a few water balloons, get out the swingball set and grab a bucket of chalk to keep them entertained.

Music: Choosing music to suit everyone’s taste isn’t always possible so why not go for chart hits which are likely to be something everyone will enjoy. Try to keep the music at a level which everyone can enjoy but also at a level you can still talk to each other easily.

Sports: If there’s a big game on that you know your guests won’t want to miss then why not make this a feature of the BBQ and set up a screen where everyone can watch it together.